The present invention relates to games and relates in particular to a baseball game played by a number of players on a simulated miniature baseball diamond supported at the level of a billiard table, card table or the like.
The art is replete with such game devices representative examples of which are disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,879,037, 4,179,123, and 4,251,074.
The '037 patent shows a miniature diamond arrangement in which a ball is rolled down an incline 12 toward a bat 30. The bat is operated by grasping knob 26 and swinging lever 24 horizontally causing rod 22 (supporting bat 20) to pivot thereby operating the bat.
The '123 patent shows a diamond arrangement in which a ball 27 rolls on the diamond surface toward a bat 6 which is operated by a rack and pinion mechanism.
The '074 patent shows a right hand and left hand batting arrangement in which the ball is mounted on a retractile pin. The ball and poin are accelerated to an abrupt stop whereupon the inertia of the moving ball causes the ball to slip off the pin and proceed toward the batter's box.